


And Alpine

by acheforhim



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Don't copy to another site, M/M, Post-Captain America: The Winter Soldier
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-26
Updated: 2020-03-26
Packaged: 2021-02-28 20:33:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,197
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23333179
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/acheforhim/pseuds/acheforhim
Summary: This is not the way he expected to find Bucky.
Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes/Steve Rogers
Comments: 23
Kudos: 151





	And Alpine

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Aisjustrunning](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aisjustrunning/gifts).



> a little fic for a friend delivered late but with a lot of love ♥

Steve is sprawled on the floor of his bedroom when he hears the knock.

It’s not a particularly tough day that has him in that position, though, to be fair, he can’t remember the last good one he had. Must have been sometime in the last century.

He would have let himself consider not answering the door, except… it’s not the door that the knocking – repeating now, insistent – is coming from. It’s his living room window.

He gets up quietly and heads for the door. For a moment he eyes the shield propped up next to it. He considers taking it up, knows he probably should; then again, if someone is here with less than good intentions, he doubts they’d knock to warn him first. Still, they’re at his _window._ He slides it on, walks out, and both his heart and jaw drop as soon as he sets his eyes on the place the noise is coming from.

Perched on his windowsill is the last person he expected to see.

“Bucky,” Steve says, and it comes out no louder than a whisper. This is not the way he expected to find Bucky – not that he was the one to find him. After months of looking for him with Sam to no avail, he’s just… here.

After a moment of stillness Steve drops the shield, then all but runs towards the window, fumbles with the latch. He opens it up and Bucky is right there, no distance, no barriers between them. For a long moment they just look, take each other in. Bucky is holding his left hand to his chest, and for a second Steve thinks he might be hurt, but he doesn’t seem to be under any kind of strain even though he's crouching on a ledge high enough to make anyone else shaky.

“Hi,” Bucky says in the end, voice so gentle it makes Steve ache.

“Hey, Buck.”

“I need help,” Bucky says. “Can I come in?”

“Of course,” Steve says, finally snapping out of it and stepping to the side. Bucky carefully makes his way into the room, hand still pressed to his chest.

_Did he climb the building with just one hand?_

“Are you hurt?”

“No,” Bucky says, and then they’re both distracted at the way the front of his jacket… wiggles.

Bucky glances at Steve, then carefully reaches with his right hand to unzip his jacket, his left one still holding up what looks like a little bundle under it. He pulls the zipper down, and in the silence that follows, they watch first two white ears then a fluffy little head emerge as a disgruntled kitten makes its way half out of the opening, blinking at the afternoon light.

It sees Steve and meows at him with all its might, which prompts Bucky to make a little shushing noise and pet its head with a finger. The kitten focuses on him instead and turns so that it’s facing Bucky’s chest, and soon it’s shakily climbing its way up and onto his shoulder. It reminds Steve so much of when they used to feed all the strays as kids that he wants to cry and scream all at once.

“I don’t have the money to take care of him,” Bucky explains when he sees that Steve is staring. His eyes close when the kitten nuzzles against his cheek. “I can steal for myself, but I can’t steal him a doctor.”

“Is he sick?” Steve asks.

Bucky shrugs, then winces when the movement makes the kitten dig his little claws into his shoulder. “Don’t know. They have to check him, right?”

“Right,” Steve says, and something in his tone makes Bucky meet his gaze again. Steve can see what he’s thinking – should he have come here, will Steve help, will he— “I’ll help,” he says before Bucky can even think of going away. “But Buck, you…” he shakes his head. “Come sit?”

Bucky nods and follows him to the couch. He sits on one end, so Steve sits on the other, unsure of how much space he should give Bucky. He’s his best friend, and yet Bucky thought him a stranger until recently; he knows him so well, but he knows next to nothing of what Bucky went through. His body is screaming for him to get closer, to make sure Bucky’s really here, that he’s okay, and yet he doesn’t know how much will be too much.

“I can hear you thinking,” Bucky murmurs and lifts his gaze from the kitten to Steve. He gives him a small smile, and Steve can’t help but notice he looks healthier than when they saw each other last.

He said he’s been stealing – Steve is relieved to see he’s managed to get enough food to not go hungry. His clothes are new, too, a plain red shirt and jeans; he’s shed all his gear, though Steve is sure he has more than one weapon stashed on him. He looks like he’s found a place to clean up, maybe even stay.

There’s so much Steve wants to know.

As if sensing his thoughts, Bucky gives him an apologetic look and scooches closer. He doesn’t say anything, just lifts up the kitten like a peace offering. Steve huffs a little laugh and reaches for him, pets him gently. The kitten gives him a look full of mistrust, but he still takes the gesture as an invitation to step onto his wrist and proceed explore the length of Steve’s arm.

“What’s his name?” Steve asks.

“Alpine,” Bucky replies.

“Because he climbs all over you?” Steve asks as the kitten does the same to him.

Bucky hums in reply, which makes Steve turn his head to face him again. It’s been a long time since they’ve been so close without Bucky trying to kill him.

“Hi, Steve,” Bucky whispers, and Steve wants to cry.

“Hi, Bucky.” The way his voice wavers makes Bucky scrunch up his face and lean on Steve’s shoulder. “I missed you,” he says, even though he probably shouldn’t, but it’s true. He’s missed him so goddamned much he thought it’d be the one thing that could kill him. Bucky tentatively puts an arm around him, and Steve pulls him closer, lets him know it’s more than welcome.

They watch Alpine descend over Steve’s torso, over their overlapping arms, down to his thigh.

“I looked for you, Buck.”

“I know _,_ ” Bucky says quietly. He pulls away a little to look at Steve again, though he is still pressed to his side. “I didn’t… I didn’t remember. Not really.”

“Do you remember now?”

“Not all of it.” He doesn’t elaborate.

“I can probably help,” Steve says gently.

“Not now,” Bucky says. He pulls his arm away to play with Alpine (now on his back on Steve’s thigh), letting him grab onto his hand and sink his tiny teeth into his fingers.

“Not now,” Steve agrees. “But you’ll stay?”

Bucky looks around. “Here?”

“Wherever you’ll feel safe.”

“Not here.”

“Not here, then.”

“But with you.”

“Yeah, Buck.”

“And Alpine?”

Steve nods. “You and me and Alpine.”

“Okay,” Bucky says softly and leans on his shoulder again. “I’ll stay.” 

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! ♥
> 
> [twitter](https://twitter.com/mordrecl)


End file.
